CSS isolation Property

Posted in CSS Tutorial

Updated on Oct 03, 2024

By Mari Selvan

👁️ 21 - Views

⏳ 4 mins

💬 1 Comment

Photo Credit to CodeToFun

🙋 Introduction

The isolation property in CSS is used to determine whether an element should create a new stacking context. Stacking contexts are important for the proper rendering and z-index behavior of elements.

By controlling this property, you can manage how elements overlap and interact visually within a layout, ensuring that they stack as intended.

💡 Syntax

The syntax for the isolation property is simple, with two possible values:

Syntax

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element {
  isolation: auto | isolate;
}

🎛️ Default Value

The default value of the isolation property is auto. This means that the element will only create a new stacking context when necessary based on other properties like position, z-index, opacity, etc.

🏠 Property Values

Value	Description
auto	The browser automatically determines whether a new stacking context is needed. This is the default behavior.
isolate	Explicitly creates a new stacking context, ensuring that the element and its descendants are isolated from other elements in terms of stacking.

📄 Example

In this example, we'll demonstrate the use of the isolation property by creating two overlapping elements. The element with isolation: isolate; will create a new stacking context, affecting the stacking order.

index.html

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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <title>CSS isolation Example</title>
  <style>
    .box {
      width: 100px;
      height: 100px;
      position: relative;
    }
    .box1 {
      background-color: red;
      z-index: 1;
    }
    .box2 {
      background-color: blue;
      margin-left: 50px;
      z-index: 2;
    }
    .isolate {
      isolation: isolate;
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Isolation Property Example</h1>
  <div class="box box1">Box 1</div>
  <div class="box box2">Box 2 (No Isolation)</div>
  <div class="box box2 isolate">Box 2 (Isolation)</div>
</body>
</html>

In this example, Box 2 (Isolation) has the isolation property set to isolate, which creates a new stacking context, isolating it from the other elements.

🖥️ Browser Compatibility

The isolation property is supported in most modern browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. However, as with all CSS properties, it's a good practice to test your implementation across different browsers to ensure consistent behavior.

🎉 Conclusion

The isolation property is a valuable tool for managing stacking contexts and ensuring elements stack correctly on your webpage.

By understanding and using this property, you can avoid unexpected overlaps and layering issues, creating a more predictable and controlled visual experience for your users. Experiment with the isolation property in your layouts to see how it can help manage complex stacking situations.